Army beats Duke 35-21

Sep 25, 2010 - 11:33 PM
By AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer

DURHAM, N.C.(AP) -- With every mistake by Duke, Trent Steelman and
Army inched closer to the program's best start in 14 years.

Steelman threw for two scores and ran for another while the
Black Knights converted four turnovers into touchdowns to beat
the Blue Devils 35-21 on Saturday. The win ended a seven-game
skid against Atlantic Coast Conference teams and reversed Army's
history of first-month struggles since it won its first nine
games in 1996.

Brian Cobbs ran for two first-half scores for the Black Knights
(3-1), who dominated from the opening kickoff and never let the
struggling Blue Devils (1-3) back in it.

Army hadn't been better than 2-2 entering October since that 9-0
start in '96.

"Our guys are getting more comfortable in this role," Army coach
Rich Ellerson said. "They're getting more comfortable with this
expectation that this is what the scoreboard is supposed to look
like. That's a powerful thing, learning how to win, and we're
starting to do that."

Army jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, which allowed
it to stay with the yard-churning and clock-controlling
triple-option offense against a Duke team still reeling from
last week's ugly loss to top-ranked Alabama. Army ran for 333
yards and controlled the clock for nearly 40 minutes.

The Blue Devils got off to a horrendous start with Sean Renfree
throwing two quick interceptions that led to touchdowns, then
watched things get worse the rest of the afternoon. Army led
21-7 at halftime, then Steelman ran perfectly executed
play-action fakes on TD tosses to Raymond Maples and Austin Barr
to push the lead to 35-7 in third quarter.

"(The turnovers) set the tone for the rest of the game,"
defensive end Josh McNary said. "It showed that we came out and
weren't playing any games. We meant business when we came out
here. I think they recognized that early on. The fact that we
were able to do that, we picked up on it and just fed off of it
for the rest of the game."

Ellerson had said he had visions of Duke's passing attack being
able to move the ball up and down the field, yet Steelman came
up with big pass plays long before Renfree. After Conner Vernon
fumbled away a catch, Steelman connected with Maples for the
34-yard score, then added the 31-yard touchdown to Barr when
Renfree fumbled while scrambling despite being untouched to make
it 35-7.

In each case, Duke's defenders were nowhere near Maples or Barr
after repeatedly inching up to help in stopping the run.

"Based on how low their safeties were playing ... we knew we
were going to be able to get behind them," Steelman said. "It
was just a matter of when. When you take your eyes back to your
receivers and you see them that wide open, it's hard to miss."

Yet it was the surprisingly inept play of Renfree and the
offense that had to befuddle third-year coach David Cutcliffe
most. Stephen Anderson jumped in front of Renfree's short pass
over the middle and returned it to the 3-yard line, setting up
Cobbs' first score barely a minute into the game.

Then, after the Blue Devils went three-and-out, Donnie Dixon
grabbed another bad throw from Renfree and returned it to the 5,
setting up Steelman's keeper two plays later and leading
Cutcliffe to immediately walk to his quarterback and try to calm
him down on the sideline.

Last season, Renfree came off the bench to lead Duke to a 35-19
win at Army in his first college game. This time, he threw for
67 yards through the first three periods.

The Blue Devils didn't manage the kind of big play they
desperately needed until Renfree found Vernon for a 58-yard
touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. But after
Renfree threw a third interception with about 5 minutes left,
Cutcliffe could only greet his first-year starter as he walked
off the field, put both hands on the sophomore's shoulder pads
and have a long discussion on the sideline.

"We just couldn't get a rhythm," Vernon said. "It's definitely
on us today. From an offensive standpoint, we lost this game for
us."